Apparatus for separating fluids and associated methods

Abstract

An apparatus for treating contaminated water and may include an inlet, configured to receive contaminated water from a body of water. The contaminated water may include one or more pollutants (such as oil), and the apparatus may be configured to provide for separating those pollutant(s) from water to provide recovered pollutant(s) (e.g. recovered oil) and treated water. The apparatus may also include a water outlet for returning treated water to a body of water. In some examples, the apparatus comprises a separation volume, having inner and outer chamber, which can be used to separate rotating contaminated water.

1 . Underwater apparatus for treating contaminated water, the apparatus comprising an inlet configured to receive contaminated water from a body of water, such contaminated water comprising water and one or more pollutants, and wherein the apparatus is configured to provide for separating pollutant(s) from water to provide recovered pollutant(s) and treated water, wherein the apparatus comprises a water outlet for returning treated water to a body of water. 
     
     
         2 . Apparatus according to  claim 1  comprising a pollutant outlet for providing recovered pollutant(s) to further apparatus. 
     
     
         3 . Apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein the apparatus is configured to be substantially underwater at a particular distance below the surface of water and/or the apparatus is configured for variable buoyancy. 
     
     
         4 . Apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein the inlet is substantially surface facing in use. 
     
     
         5 . Apparatus according to  claim 1  comprising a separation volume for separating pollutant(s) and water from contaminated water, the separation volume being in communication with the inlet. 
     
     
         6 . Apparatus according to  claim 5  configured so as to impart a rotation on contaminated water such that contaminated water rotates within the separation volume, such as by using one or more vanes at the inlet. 
     
     
         7 . Apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein the separation volume comprises an inner and an outer separation chamber, the inner separation chamber configured within the outer chamber. 
     
     
         8 . Apparatus according to  claim 7  wherein the separation volume comprises a constricted region provided between the outer separation chamber and the inner separation chamber such that fluid is urged towards the inner chamber. 
     
     
         9 . Apparatus according to  claim 7  comprising one or more channels connecting the outer separation chamber with the inner separation chamber, whereby the channel(s) are configured to impart a rotation on fluid moving from the outer chamber to the inner chamber. 
     
     
         10 . Apparatus according to  5  wherein the outer separation chamber comprises the water outlet. 
     
     
         11 . Apparatus according to  5  when depending upon  claim 2 , wherein the inner separation chamber comprises the pollutant outlet. 
     
     
         12 . Apparatus according to  claim 11  wherein the pollutant outlet is configured to impart a rotation on fluid within the inner separation chamber by being configured to remove fluid tangentially from the inner separation chamber. 
     
     
         13 . Apparatus according to  claim 1  comprising a suction pump, configured to draw contaminated water into the apparatus and to pump treated water from the apparatus. 
     
     
         14 . Apparatus according to  claim 13  wherein the suction pump is provided at the water outlet of the apparatus. 
     
     
         15 . Apparatus according to  claim 13  wherein the suction pump is configured as a mass flow pump, or mass flow means. 
     
     
         16 . Apparatus according to  claim 1  configured to draw in up to roughly 1,000 litres of contaminated water per second. 
     
     
         17 . Apparatus according to  claim 1  comprising a pollutant extraction pump configured to remove pollutant(s) from the apparatus. 
     
     
         18 . Apparatus according to  claim 1  configured such that a volume flow rate is variable of one or more of: contaminated water volume flow rate; treated water volume flow rate; and recovered pollutant volume flow rate. 
     
     
         19 . Apparatus according to  claim 18  configured to determine a ratio of water to pollutant in contaminated water entering the apparatus and to vary one or more of: contaminated water volume flow rate; treated water volume flow rate; and recovered pollutant volume flow rate using a determined water/pollutant ratio. 
     
     
         20 . Apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein the water outlet is configured at a lower region of the apparatus, such as being configured below the inlet of the apparatus. 
     
     
         21 . Apparatus according to  claim 1  configured to provide for separating one or more hydrocarbon pollutant substances from water. 
     
     
         22 . A method for treating contaminated water, the method comprising:
 receiving contaminated water from a body of water, such contaminated water comprising water and one or more pollutants;   separating underwater the pollutant(s) from the water to provide recovered pollutant(s) and treated water; and   returning the treated water to the body of water.   
     
     
         23 . The method according to  claim 22  comprising separating one or more hydrocarbon pollutant substances from water. 
     
     
         24 . The method according to  claim 22  wherein the step of returning treated water to the body of water means that the contaminated/treated water is not taken to a vessel, or the like, for separation. 
     
     
         25 . The method according to  claim 22  comprising providing recovered pollutant(s) to further apparatus. 
     
     
         26 . Apparatus for separating fluids, the apparatus comprising an inlet for receiving first and second fluids from a fluid source, such a second fluid being denser than a first fluid, wherein the inlet is in communication with a separation volume comprising an inner separation chamber and an outer separation chamber, and wherein the apparatus is configured such that a first fluid rotating in the separation volume is urged to the inner separation chamber and a second fluid is urged to the outer separation chamber. 
     
     
         27 . Apparatus according to  claim 26  configured to draw in cumulatively up to roughly 1,000 litres of first and second fluid per second. 
     
     
         28 . Apparatus according to  claim 26  comprising a first outlet for providing a substantially separated first fluid to further apparatus and a second outlet for returning substantiality separated second fluid to a fluid source. 
     
     
         29 . Apparatus according to  claim 28  wherein the first outlet is associated with the inner separation volume and the second outlet is associated with the outer separation volume. 
     
     
         30 . Apparatus according to  claim 26  comprising one or more channels connecting the outer separation chamber with the inner separation chamber, the channel(s) configured to impart a rotation on fluid moving from the outer chamber to the inner chamber. 
     
     
         31 . Apparatus according to  claim 26  configured for use in a body of water. 
     
     
         32 . Apparatus according to  claim 31  wherein the inlet is substantially surface facing in use. 
     
     
         33 . Apparatus according to  claim 26  wherein the first fluid is a pollutant, or effluent, and the second fluid is water. 
     
     
         34 . A method for separating fluids, the method comprising
 receiving first and second fluids from a fluid source, the second fluid being denser than the first fluid,   communicating first and second fluids to a separation volume comprising an inner separation chamber and an outer separation chamber, and   rotating the fluids in the separation volume such that the first fluid is urged to the inner separation chamber and the second fluid is urged to the outer separation chamber.   
     
     
         35 . Apparatus for providing for separating fluids, the apparatus comprising:
 an inlet configured to receive a combined fluid comprising at least a first and second fluid;   a first outlet for providing a separated first fluid; and   a second outlet for providing a separated second fluid; and wherein   the apparatus is configured to vary the volume flow rate of one or more of: a combined fluid at the inlet; a separated first fluid phase at the first outlet, or a separated second fluid phase at the second outlet, based upon the amount of a first fluid with respect to the amount of a second fluid in a combined fluid.   
     
     
         36 . A method for providing for separating fluids, the method comprising:
 receiving, at an inlet, a combined fluid at a particular inlet volume low rate, the combined fluid comprising at least a first and second fluid;   outletting a separated first fluid at a particular first outlet volume flow rate; and   outletting a separated second fluid at a particular second outlet volume flow rate; and wherein   the method comprises vary the volume flow rate of one or more of: inlet volume low rate; first outlet volume flow rate, or second outlet volume flow rate, based upon the amount of first fluid with respect to the amount of second fluid in the combined fluid.   
     
     
         37 . The method according to  claim 36  comprising vary the volume flow rate of the inlet volume low rate and the first outlet volume flow rate based upon the amount of first fluid with respect to the amount of second fluid in the combined fluid.